fbaudry

Exactly what Rosetta said... No Pont for me worming or giving a flea treatment if there's no need for it. On the other hand, if the manufacturer specifies that the heartworm is effective for a period of 4 weeks, I wouldn't take the risk of "spacing it out"

Thank you all! Value heart seems the way to go then. It looks like I'm going to save $ too!

My two have been on Sentinel monthly since I got them... However I feel it is a bit of an overkill as it also covers intestinal worms, fleas etc and I don't think they need all of that. I'd like to stick to a monthly treatment (I did the yearly injection once with a previous dog - never again) What do you guys use / recommend?

How exciting! Cocker puppy Squeeeeeee!!!!!! Not exactly inner-west but I can strongly recommend the one at VetMed in Randwick. It is run by a Delta instructor and ticked all the boxes for me and my own little cocker...

Awesome! What a gorgeous canine family! Love how the crate are lined up in ascending order... There is a Goldilock and the 3 bears feel to it. Cant wait to follow more of Ruddy and co adventures...

I'm close to you in the Eastern suburbs but sadly I'm yet to find a vet I'm completely comfortable with... Getting a bit disillusioned with city vets Meea, purely out of curiousity all my vets have always referred me to the Noth Shore hospital for emergencies and specialist treatments when Sydney Uni is much closer. Any idea why?

I really hope you get him Arcane! I don't know much about the breed but I find them (as well as the other rare terrier breeds) such interesting little dogs! Sad to see one in rescue... Going slightly off topic here, but the original children's program was created in France in the 60s (le manège enchanté) and the creator drew his inspiration for Pollux (Dougal in the English version) from his own dog, a Lhasa Apso.

I got my PP40 from Wayrod on here (check the commercial market place). Very reasonably priced and excellent service. I find PETBARN absolutely overpriced when it comes to toys / accessories

Plenty of great suggestions here... I thoroughly recommend Ian Dunbar and the Focussed Puppy. Another one I'd add to the list is Perfect Puppy in 7 days by Sophia Yin.

M-sass you can't be serious right??????

Appenzeler?

if you are willing to drive to Bondi Junction, I can wholeheartedly recommend my own vet: http://www.woollahravets.com.au/

As the title suggests.... This is the boarding kennels my vet clinic recommends / uses. Just wondering if any DOLers have used them and coukd advise me before I commit? Thank you!

Gus is stunning! I grew up with a dalmatian :) Here is Penny at 4 months and one week short of her first birthday... they grow up far too quickly indeed (though I don't miss the house training bit!)

This one (which might be the same one Snook mentioned!) does the trick for my Tenterfield: http://www.ozpetshop.com.au/product_info.php/cPath/21_33_139/products_id/2405

That is a brilliant idea! Another good option for outside if you fear he might "lose" the treat ball (and the Indian Mynahs have actually learned to push the treat ball at my place ) is to get something sturdier like a bob-a-lot / kong wobbler or Nina Ottosson Pyramid. Too big for the birds to work it out, keeps the kibble safe and dry and provides more of a challenge to Maui

I have used and wholeheartedly recommend Natalie Watson... http://www.whatadogneeds.com.au/contact.htm

Thank you Nekhbet! I know I should do it, as I often wish I had someone at home telling me what I'm doing wrong. By technical skills, I meant actually seeing the whole dog on the video, as opposed to a bit of wall, half my leg in the middle and the dog's tail in the corner :laugh:

As the title suggests... I am currently looking at possible boarding options for my 2 dogs; one of my criteria is a place that accepts the 3 yearly vaccination protocol (except for the yearly KC). Just wondering if anyone had used this place at Duffys forest, or would be able to recommend other places around Sydney? Thank you!

I could try an video it.... if you can put up with my lack of technical skills. I think you're definitely onto something with the pace of training bit; I think it is probably a bigger issue than the NRM as such. I am focussing on her stays at the moment (sit / down / stand ) and I find she gets really frustrated by it. We can do a few repetitions of stand stay with me 1 step back, but if I try to increase the duration ever so slightly, she'll start whining and then will sit / lie down and occasionally throw in other tricks she learned before (cross her paws / rub her eye). Similarly, when I ask her into a stand again using the hand gesture, she will throw in a spin or a roll over and she really looks like she is in overdrive and desperate to do something right. And again I realize that I am really impatient and maybe I should train her at all...

Fergus used to do this too. He would also re-do the "trick" in an exaggerated manner and then glare at me ("did you see THAT?"). I don't see it as a bad thing, it is all part of learning. He believes he is doing the right thing and isn't being paid for it, I'd be angry too. I just kept calm, and ignored him (in a really relaxed way). The second the tantrum stopped and he did something - anything - I'd click and treat. That is, I didn't worry about teaching him the extended trick, rather I focused on teaching him persistance. Once he got this he'd start to try different things rather than throw a hissy fit. I now have the problem that he tries too many things too quickly - I can't keep up. Barkly does that as well! He'll glare at me AND bark. I think the concept of teaching persistence is a good one. Maybe my initial focus should be on teaching him how to deal with free-shaping rather than using free-shaping to teach him something else. +1.... Megan you described exactly what happens here! She will thrown an exaggerated behaviour and stare at me whilst whineing... I need to work on MY ignoring her whilst staying calm. Nekhbet, how do you suggest to go about "give him either a non reward marker or command him to be quiet" My non-reward marker (too bad!) only seems to frustrate Penny further and I am at a loss as to how to get her to stop whining. I must say she was fairly relaxed as a pup and I feel that I am creating this anxiety in her by doing obedience training

Watching with great interest... That must be a cocker thing Penny is getting more and more like that, throwing random behaviours and being very whiney. The fact that it drives me bonkers and I'm not very patient at the best of time probably adds to her stress level.

MasonGibbs, probably a stupid question but did you take up insurance before your boys' skin issues started? Kicking myself now for not doing it earlier and I'm afraid it might fall under exclusions

Poor him! So far my girl is ok on it (even though I hate myself for feeding her this processed crap), and she never had stomach upsets on her previous diet (when I thought dogs with allergies tended to have upset tummies etc as well as itchiness) Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question, but can a regular vet test for atopic dermatitis, or is that something only a dermatologist can do? I know what you mean re vets jumping to conclusions. I almost had the impression mine was going through an often repeated speech, ending up with the compulsory low allergen food

Hey Foxyboy I hope you won't mind me jumping in your thread; Just wondering if one needs a referral to see a dermatologist, and if I could get the details of the one you'll be seeing in Sydney? Penny has been very itchy for a few months now, and fleas are pretty much ruled out. Our vet started her on Pred last week (itching stopped after a couple of days), which she is going to be on for 2 weeks combined with Capstar (just to rule out completely the flea part). The vet pretty much has made up his mind it was a food allergy and she is now on Hills Z/D much to my disgust. Prior to that she was on a diet of 50% dry (Advance puppy) 50% raw (VAN / sardines / eggs / yogurt / chicken / turkey / lamb / beef / roo either mince or bones). There doesn't seem to be any history of allergy in her lines either